Monday, April 29, 2013

You see those Mountains right there? They're the Beartooth Mountains in Montana. And I have a confession... for the last two years, they have been quietly calling my name. At first, it was just a simple, "Come Back & Visit" but as time has gone on, it's gotten louder and more insistent. So much so that back in December, it felt like they were screaming "COME BACK NOW!!!"

The time has come to make a big announcement. On July 7, 2013, I will be driving out of my driveway in Florida and starting a 2500 mile journey to the state of Montana. This may not seem like a big deal to some people, but this isn't just another 3 week summer vacation. Accompanying me will be Lucy, and a vehicle full of all the things I think I'll need to survive for a year! I have taken a leave of absence from school for the 2013-2014 school year. This was such a hard decision, but after 10 years of encouraging my students to step outside of their own comfort zone, the time has come to take my own advice.

So, stay tuned... I hope I'll be sharing more about my move in the future!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Maybe it's just me, but I sure do love an infomercial- it's like they suck me in! Thank goodness that I don't have cable TV at my house or I would probably be hooked on the infomercial channel. Whether it's the Troy Built Tillers, Shark vacuums, Principal Secret Skin Care, Flexi-Seal, or Beach Body exercise programs, EVERY product is promoted to sound just like the YOU MUST HAVE IT! Thank goodness my parents taught me to not to make serious impulse purchases!

Before I go any further, I think I might need to give you some background knowledge. A couple of years ago, we talked Granny (who loves to order something from a catalog) into ordering a Jack LaLanne Juicer. Our new (at the time) preacher and his wife were pretty healthy, and after seeing the infomercial about how it unlocks nutrients and boosts your health, and seeing theirs, we decided that it might be cool. Of course, we used it a couple of times and then it got shuffled around from kitchen to kitchen, but not really used.

Back in January, Ms. Marti was diagnosed with serious Breast Cancer and part of the way she is treating the cancer is with a very strict raw diet. She's using her Juicer constantly. Mom and I decided that we should dust ours off and try using it again- partially as a show of support for a sweet lady that we both adore and partially because we both needed to get healthier! So, we've been juicing for breakfast for the past two and a half months. I can honestly say that our fruit and vegetable intake has seriously increased, my skin looks healthier and I feel better all around.

While I was on Spring Break last week, I spent a couple of mornings hanging out with Mom and of course when you land on the infomercial channels, you kinda get sucked in. (I think it's like a fishing show or golf) The Magic Bullet infomercial always sucked me in and looked so good, but I never fell for it. But their new one- the Nutribullet- well, I was hooked. It appeared to do the same things that our juicer was doing without as much clean up and waste of fiber. I managed to resist the first time I watched it, but by the second time it came on last week, I was really getting interested.

After serious deliberation- which included looking at the website and reading multiple user reviews (when did I become that person?) I decided that I just had to try it. Luckily it can be purchased locally at Target & Bed, Bath & Beyond, so it made more sense to purchase it there. (Insert Thought: In Case of Return) So Friday evening, we purchased one.

Saturday Morning, bright and early (not really, it was Spring Break), we broke put the NutriBullet to see how it compared to "Ol' Jack". The mixture was way thicker than juice from the juicer and didn't have anywhere near the flavor found in the juice. I was prepared for the thickness, but the lack of flavor was crazy. Our initial thought was that maybe it was just the ingredients I tried, so, Sunday morning, we tried once more. This time, I used my usual juice ingredients- Carrots, Apple, Pear, Kale and Lemon. This usually makes a sweet, tangy juice that's tasty and healthy. When I put all of that into the NutriBullet, It was so thick that I wasn't sure I could drink it- AND- what is usually a very sweet drink tasted like you had sucked all the sugar out. The one thing positive thing I will say for it is that clean up was amazingly simple! In fact, it was so simple that I got it all cleaned up, packed up and back to the store the two days later! Thank goodness for easy returns!

So, for any other infomercial junkies out there... buyer beware... if it sounds too good to be true (with the exception of my Bare Minerals Makeup) it probably is!